Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired, and the Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Rookie Ja’Marr Chase had a franchise-record and NFL rookie record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three, 14-point deficits against the AFC West champions.

Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu says the defense could have made better adjustments.

"I still feel like we could have responded a lot better defensively," he said. "Those guys were prepared. I just didn't think we responded the way we were prepared to respond."

The Chiefs were also called on 10 penalties for 83 yards - several of which aided Cincinnati in their final drive of the game.

Kansas City’s eight-game winning streak was snapped and it fell behind Tennessee for the top seed in the AFC.&nbsp; The Chiefs (11-5) now have to beat Denver next week and hope Houston can knock off AFC South champion Tennessee to get it back.

Kansas City had won eight straight going into Sunday. Mahomes had won 26 consecutive games as the starter in the months of November, December and January.&nbsp;

The Chiefs are at Denver on Saturday at 3:30 central. The game will be carried on Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph. Pregame coverage will start at 2:30.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostEvan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired, and the Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.Rookie Ja’Marr Chase had a franchise-record and NFL rookie record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three, 14-point deficits against the AFC West champions.Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu says the defense could have made better adjustments."I still feel like we could have responded a lot better defensively," he said. "Those guys were prepared. I just didn't think we responded the way we were prepared to respond."The Chiefs were also called on 10 penalties for 83 yards - several of which aided Cincinnati in their final drive of the game.Kansas City’s eight-game winning streak was snapped and it fell behind Tennessee for the top seed in the AFC.&nbsp; The Chiefs (11-5) now have to beat Denver next week and hope Houston can knock off AFC South champion Tennessee to get it back.Kansas City had won eight straight going into Sunday. Mahomes had won 26 consecutive games as the starter in the months of November, December and January.&nbsp;The Chiefs are at Denver on Saturday at 3:30 central. The game will be carried on Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph. Pregame coverage will start at 2:30.

Chiefs fall to Bengals Sunday, Kansas City no longer in control of No. 1 seed in the AFC

The Missouri Western women's basketball team (11-1, 5-1 MIAA) forced 22 turnovers and held Pittsburg State to just 2-of-13 shooting from three, as the Griffons rolled to an 81-55 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse on Saturday.

After a pretty close start to the game, Missouri Western went up 40-25 at halftime, thanks to a big start from Brionna Budgets, who scored 12 points in the first half and wound up with 17 for the game.

Budgets also had four steals as Missouri Western finished with 15 steals as a team and held the Gorillas (9-4, 4-3 MIAA) to 39.6 percent shooting on the night. The Griffons also scored 28 points off of the 22 turnovers they forced.

"I thought we guarded as well as we have all year," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said, "against a team that's really good. So, I just have to credit our kids."

Alyssa Bonilla was yet again a bright spot for the Griffons. Making just her second start of the season, Bonilla scored seven points to go with six rebounds, three assists and a career-high seven steals.

"For the most part, we played fairly mistake free," Whitaker said. "I didn't expect us to turn them over like that, but just scrappy. Alyssa makes so much happen when she's on the floor and she was big time tonight."

The Griffons continued to slowly pull away in the second half, and Connie Clarke started to get going offensively, eventually finishing with a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds. Jordan Cunningham also finished with 10 points - all in the second half.

Missouri Western also won the rebounding battle 38-30 and dominated points in the paint, 50-28.

The Griffon women stay home to face Missouri Southern (7-4, 4-2 MIAA) on Monday evening. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio with pregame starting at 5 p.m.

"Missouri Southern is a really good team and we have to be ready to go," Whitaker said.

Missouri Western men fall behind early, come up short against Gorillas

Pittsburg State jumped out to an 11-3 lead to start, led 33-24 at halftime and never trailed in the second half, as the Gorillas defeated Missouri Western, 72-64, on Saturday night in St. Joseph.

The Griffons (8-6, 4-2 MIAA) shot just 35 percent (21-of-60) from the field, including 2-of-18 from three, but really, only a couple of numbers mattered to coach Will Martin at the end.

"When you have four assists and 15 turnovers, you're not going to beat anybody," he said. "We have to get better...you're not going to win any game that way."

Missouri Western trailed by double digits, but managed to get to within five points several times in the second half, but never got closer than that.

A Justin Bubak three-pointer with 22 seconds left pulled Western to within 69-64, but the Gorillas made several more free throws right after to seal the victory.

Pitt State (4-9, 3-4 MIAA), which won its first game away from home this season on Saturday, finished 26-of-33 at the free throw line and shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field.

Bobby Arthur-Williams, Jr., a third-team all-MIAA honoree from last season, came off of injury and played his first game of the 2021-22 campaign for the Gorillas on Saturday and returned in style.

Arthur-Williams, Jr. scored a game-high 24 points and hauled in 10 rebounds to lead Pitt State to its first win in St. Joseph since February 2018. He led six players in double figures. Ryan Pippins and Tyler Hawkins each had 11.

Will Eames had one of his better games of the season for Western, logging his third double-double of the year with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Q Mays finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.

The Missouri Western men's game against Missouri Southern in St. Joseph scheduled for Monday, Jan. 3 has been postponed due to COVID protocol within Southern's program. A make-up date will be announced later.

The Griffons are next in action Thursday, Jan. 6 at Emporia State (10-3, 5-2 MIAA). Tip-off in that game is set for 7:30 p.m.

"We just have to stay ready," Martin said of the schedule changes. "There's going to be multiple games that get rescheduled. It really doesn't matter if we have three or four days, or if we have two days, we're in that part of the season now where you have to stay ready."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641103253399.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team (11-1, 5-1 MIAA) forced 22 turnovers and held Pittsburg State to just 2-of-13 shooting from three, as the Griffons rolled to an 81-55 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse on Saturday.After a pretty close start to the game, Missouri Western went up 40-25 at halftime, thanks to a big start from Brionna Budgets, who scored 12 points in the first half and wound up with 17 for the game.Budgets also had four steals as Missouri Western finished with 15 steals as a team and held the Gorillas (9-4, 4-3 MIAA) to 39.6 percent shooting on the night. The Griffons also scored 28 points off of the 22 turnovers they forced."I thought we guarded as well as we have all year," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said, "against a team that's really good. So, I just have to credit our kids."Alyssa Bonilla was yet again a bright spot for the Griffons. Making just her second start of the season, Bonilla scored seven points to go with six rebounds, three assists and a career-high seven steals."For the most part, we played fairly mistake free," Whitaker said. "I didn't expect us to turn them over like that, but just scrappy. Alyssa makes so much happen when she's on the floor and she was big time tonight."The Griffons continued to slowly pull away in the second half, and Connie Clarke started to get going offensively, eventually finishing with a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds. Jordan Cunningham also finished with 10 points - all in the second half.Missouri Western also won the rebounding battle 38-30 and dominated points in the paint, 50-28.The Griffon women stay home to face Missouri Southern (7-4, 4-2 MIAA) on Monday evening. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio with pregame starting at 5 p.m."Missouri Southern is a really good team and we have to be ready to go," Whitaker said.Missouri Western men fall behind early, come up short against GorillasPittsburg State jumped out to an 11-3 lead to start, led 33-24 at halftime and never trailed in the second half, as the Gorillas defeated Missouri Western, 72-64, on Saturday night in St. Joseph.The Griffons (8-6, 4-2 MIAA) shot just 35 percent (21-of-60) from the field, including 2-of-18 from three, but really, only a couple of numbers mattered to coach Will Martin at the end."When you have four assists and 15 turnovers, you're not going to beat anybody," he said. "We have to get better...you're not going to win any game that way."Missouri Western trailed by double digits, but managed to get to within five points several times in the second half, but never got closer than that.A Justin Bubak three-pointer with 22 seconds left pulled Western to within 69-64, but the Gorillas made several more free throws right after to seal the victory.Pitt State (4-9, 3-4 MIAA), which won its first game away from home this season on Saturday, finished 26-of-33 at the free throw line and shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field.Bobby Arthur-Williams, Jr., a third-team all-MIAA honoree from last season, came off of injury and played his first game of the 2021-22 campaign for the Gorillas on Saturday and returned in style.Arthur-Williams, Jr. scored a game-high 24 points and hauled in 10 rebounds to lead Pitt State to its first win in St. Joseph since February 2018. He led six players in double figures. Ryan Pippins and Tyler Hawkins each had 11.Will Eames had one of his better games of the season for Western, logging his third double-double of the year with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Q Mays finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.The Missouri Western men's game against Missouri Southern in St. Joseph scheduled for Monday, Jan. 3 has been postponed due to COVID protocol within Southern's program. A make-up date will be announced later.The Griffons are next in action Thursday, Jan. 6 at Emporia State (10-3, 5-2 MIAA). Tip-off in that game is set for 7:30 p.m."We just have to stay ready," Martin said of the schedule changes. "There's going to be multiple games that get rescheduled. It really doesn't matter if we have three or four days, or if we have two days, we're in that part of the season now where you have to stay ready."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641103976932.jpeg" alt="Will Eames (left). Courtesy GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Will Eames (left). Courtesy GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women dominate, Griffon men fall short to Pitt State Saturday

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – Sam Roberts, senior defensive lineman from Division II Northwest Missouri State, was selected as the winner of the 2021 Cliff Harris Award presented annually by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings. 

 The award honors the nation's small college defensive player of the year representing Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities.

&nbsp; Roberts, a 6'5", 292-pound, defensive lineman from Waynesville, Mo., was a dominant force on one of the top defenses in America, helping lead the Bearcats&nbsp;to a final national ranking of No. 4 and 11-2 record. He was a 1st team AFCA and DCCA All-American and a 2nd team AP All-American. He was the&nbsp;National Region 3 Defensive Player of the Year and the MIAA&nbsp;Defensive&nbsp;Player of the Year. 

Roberts' disruptive play in the trenches was a key factor on the No. 2 nationally-ranked Bearcat&nbsp;defense finishing his senior season with 18 tackles for losses. More than 5,000 defensive players from over 500 colleges are eligible to win the award. The $3,000 Cliff Harris Trophy will be presented by Cliff Harris at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet on January 14, 2022. Special guest speaker for the banquet will be NFL great Joe Theismann.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640900250040.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – Sam Roberts, senior defensive lineman from Division II Northwest Missouri State, was selected as the winner of the 2021 Cliff Harris Award presented annually by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings. The award honors the nation's small college defensive player of the year representing Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities.&nbsp; Roberts, a 6'5", 292-pound, defensive lineman from Waynesville, Mo., was a dominant force on one of the top defenses in America, helping lead the Bearcats&nbsp;to a final national ranking of No. 4 and 11-2 record. He was a 1st team AFCA and DCCA All-American and a 2nd team AP All-American. He was the&nbsp;National Region 3 Defensive Player of the Year and the MIAA&nbsp;Defensive&nbsp;Player of the Year. Roberts' disruptive play in the trenches was a key factor on the No. 2 nationally-ranked Bearcat&nbsp;defense finishing his senior season with 18 tackles for losses. More than 5,000 defensive players from over 500 colleges are eligible to win the award. The $3,000 Cliff Harris Trophy will be presented by Cliff Harris at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet on January 14, 2022. Special guest speaker for the banquet will be NFL great Joe Theismann.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Northwest defensive lineman Sam Roberts earns Cliff Harris Award

The Missouri Western women’s basketball team set a new school record in points scored in a single game, as the Griffons shot 63.2 percent from the field, including a record 72.7 percent from three, in a 120-49 win over the University of Saint Mary Wednesday.

Six Griffons finished in double figures, led by Jaelyn Haggard who scored 20. Brionna Budgets had 16, while Mary Fultz scored 15.

Missouri Western did the most damage in the third quarter, where they scored a blistering 47 points - more points than they scored in their whole game against Northwest Missouri State.

"That third quarter was a lot of fun," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "I don't know if I've ever been a part of a quarter like that or putting up 120 (points). I'd have to think hard about that."

After leading by only seven points after the first quarter, Whitaker liked her team’s energy in the second half.

"I thought we responded in the second half, and you could see that on both ends," she said. "We were making great decisions and playing well together. Obviously, it helps when the ball goes in."

The Missouri Western men followed that up with a 78-50 win over Friends University in an exhibition Wednesday.

Jaron Thames led the Griffons with 17 points, while Justin Bubak had a career-high 16. Reed Kemp had 12. The Griffons held Friends to just 26.2 percent shooting on the day.

It wasn’t perfect, but coach Will Martin thought his team handled it well.

"We were able to play 16 guys," he said. "Which makes it hard when it comes to rhythm and flow, but I thought our guys did a good job of stepping up and treating this game serious just like we would treat an MIAA game."

 The Griffons stay home Saturday to host Pittsburg State, weather permitting. The women tip at 5, and the men at 7 p.m. The games will be carried on KFEQ Radio with pregame starting at 4:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639764472732.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women’s basketball team set a new school record in points scored in a single game, as the Griffons shot 63.2 percent from the field, including a record 72.7 percent from three, in a 120-49 win over the University of Saint Mary Wednesday.Six Griffons finished in double figures, led by Jaelyn Haggard who scored 20. Brionna Budgets had 16, while Mary Fultz scored 15.Missouri Western did the most damage in the third quarter, where they scored a blistering 47 points - more points than they scored in their whole game against Northwest Missouri State."That third quarter was a lot of fun," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "I don't know if I've ever been a part of a quarter like that or putting up 120 (points). I'd have to think hard about that."After leading by only seven points after the first quarter, Whitaker liked her team’s energy in the second half."I thought we responded in the second half, and you could see that on both ends," she said. "We were making great decisions and playing well together. Obviously, it helps when the ball goes in."The Missouri Western men followed that up with a 78-50 win over Friends University in an exhibition Wednesday.Jaron Thames led the Griffons with 17 points, while Justin Bubak had a career-high 16. Reed Kemp had 12. The Griffons held Friends to just 26.2 percent shooting on the day.It wasn’t perfect, but coach Will Martin thought his team handled it well."We were able to play 16 guys," he said. "Which makes it hard when it comes to rhythm and flow, but I thought our guys did a good job of stepping up and treating this game serious just like we would treat an MIAA game." The Griffons stay home Saturday to host Pittsburg State, weather permitting. The women tip at 5, and the men at 7 p.m. The games will be carried on KFEQ Radio with pregame starting at 4:30.

Missouri Western women, men earn wins over Saint Mary, Friends Wednesday

Bishop LeBlond overcame a slow start and held their own for awhile, but the offensive prowess of Smithville proved to be too much to handle as the Warriors went on to beat the Eagles 61-46 in the LeBlond tournament title game Wednesday night.

After falling behind 9-0 to start, LeBlond (7-4) hit back with a 10-3 run of their own, and only trailed 19-14 after the first quarter.

The Warriors (7-3) started the second quarter on a 9-0 run and took a 33-22 lead into the locker room.

LeBlond went back and forth with Smithville in the third quarter, but could never chip away at the deficit, trailing 44-31 entering the fourth.

"I was proud of our kids," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "We fought back, and got it close (early), but then kind of back and forth. We just couldn't get enough stops to string anything together."

Again, the Eagles were able to hit some shots late, and not let the game completely get away, but Smithville maintained a double-digit lead through the final eight minutes.

Junior Ryker Edwards was phenomenal throughout, leading the Warriors with a game-high 22 points. Senior&nbsp;Keltin Nitsche chipped in 11, while fellow senior Andrew Miller tallied 9.

Senior Chris Guldan led LeBlond in defeat with 15 points, while senior Hayden Cross was right behind with 12. Junior Jake Korell scored nine points - all of which came in the second half.

The Eagles are back in action Tuesday at Mid-Buchanan, and then head to Chillicothe on Jan. 7 to open MEC Conference play.

"It's a tough stretch, but it's good for us," Girres said. "We need to see that, get us ready for our conference season, which is always tough and it's a grind. So, I was proud of our kids and the way we played this week. There's a lot of good things we can take from it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640844000255.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell (20) goes up for a shot against a defender in the second half. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell (20) goes up for a shot against a defender in the second half. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBishop LeBlond overcame a slow start and held their own for awhile, but the offensive prowess of Smithville proved to be too much to handle as the Warriors went on to beat the Eagles 61-46 in the LeBlond tournament title game Wednesday night.After falling behind 9-0 to start, LeBlond (7-4) hit back with a 10-3 run of their own, and only trailed 19-14 after the first quarter.The Warriors (7-3) started the second quarter on a 9-0 run and took a 33-22 lead into the locker room.LeBlond went back and forth with Smithville in the third quarter, but could never chip away at the deficit, trailing 44-31 entering the fourth."I was proud of our kids," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "We fought back, and got it close (early), but then kind of back and forth. We just couldn't get enough stops to string anything together."Again, the Eagles were able to hit some shots late, and not let the game completely get away, but Smithville maintained a double-digit lead through the final eight minutes.Junior Ryker Edwards was phenomenal throughout, leading the Warriors with a game-high 22 points. Senior&nbsp;Keltin Nitsche chipped in 11, while fellow senior Andrew Miller tallied 9.Senior Chris Guldan led LeBlond in defeat with 15 points, while senior Hayden Cross was right behind with 12. Junior Jake Korell scored nine points - all of which came in the second half.The Eagles are back in action Tuesday at Mid-Buchanan, and then head to Chillicothe on Jan. 7 to open MEC Conference play."It's a tough stretch, but it's good for us," Girres said. "We need to see that, get us ready for our conference season, which is always tough and it's a grind. So, I was proud of our kids and the way we played this week. There's a lot of good things we can take from it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640844938363.jpeg" alt="Hayden Cross (right) goes up for a shot in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Hayden Cross (right) goes up for a shot in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Smithville tops LeBlond in tournament title game Wednesday

The Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team capped off a busy week with a win in their home tournament championship Wednesday night.

The Eagles (11-1) got off to a hot start, sinking five three-pointers in the first quarter and eight total in the first half, riding that momentum in a 66-34 win over Plattsburg in the LeBlond tournament championship at Grace Gymnasium.

This comes after the LeBlond girls finished runner-up in their home tournament to Savannah last year.

"It's definitely really exciting," senior Sloan Lewis said. "I mean, we came here last year and fell short. So, to get it done this year means a lot and it just shows what we can accomplish with this team that we have and that everyone contributes to the game."

Leading 41-15 at halftime, LeBlond held Plattsburg (5-6) in check defensively through the second half, holding the Tigers to just six made field goals in the second half.

Senior Kianna Herrera, who finished the LeBlond tournament with a combined 63 points, dumped in 18 more Wednesday. She made a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter as a cherry on top in the victory.

Sophomores Kyla Conard and Tatum Studer each finished with 11 points. Junior Katie Beam contributed seven.

"It feels nice to have everyone back and everyone connecting well," Conard said. "We have really been putting in a lot of work this week. So, it just feels nice to play together and get going, and we're ready to keep going and keep winning."

Senior Savannah Bingham led Plattsburg with 19 points. Freshman Alexis Meyer added seven. The Eagles also beat the Tigers in state sectionals this past March, 47-32.

Plattsburg returns home to face Braymer on Jan. 4. LeBlond is at Mid-Buchanan on the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640842449784.jpeg" alt="2021 LeBlond tournament champions. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>2021 LeBlond tournament champions. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team capped off a busy week with a win in their home tournament championship Wednesday night.The Eagles (11-1) got off to a hot start, sinking five three-pointers in the first quarter and eight total in the first half, riding that momentum in a 66-34 win over Plattsburg in the LeBlond tournament championship at Grace Gymnasium.This comes after the LeBlond girls finished runner-up in their home tournament to Savannah last year."It's definitely really exciting," senior Sloan Lewis said. "I mean, we came here last year and fell short. So, to get it done this year means a lot and it just shows what we can accomplish with this team that we have and that everyone contributes to the game."Leading 41-15 at halftime, LeBlond held Plattsburg (5-6) in check defensively through the second half, holding the Tigers to just six made field goals in the second half.Senior Kianna Herrera, who finished the LeBlond tournament with a combined 63 points, dumped in 18 more Wednesday. She made a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter as a cherry on top in the victory.Sophomores Kyla Conard and Tatum Studer each finished with 11 points. Junior Katie Beam contributed seven."It feels nice to have everyone back and everyone connecting well," Conard said. "We have really been putting in a lot of work this week. So, it just feels nice to play together and get going, and we're ready to keep going and keep winning."Senior Savannah Bingham led Plattsburg with 19 points. Freshman Alexis Meyer added seven. The Eagles also beat the Tigers in state sectionals this past March, 47-32.Plattsburg returns home to face Braymer on Jan. 4. LeBlond is at Mid-Buchanan on the same day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640843563536.jpeg" alt="Tatum Studer (left). Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Tatum Studer (left). Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640843628039.jpeg" alt="Tatum Studer (left) and Sloan Lewis (right) hold the traveling LeBlond tournament trophy following the Eagles' win over Plattsburg Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Tatum Studer (left) and Sloan Lewis (right) hold the traveling LeBlond tournament trophy following the Eagles' win over Plattsburg Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640843663447.jpeg" alt="Kayla Beam." />
 <figcaption>Kayla Beam.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond girls win tournament championship over Plattsburg Wednesday

The Bishop LeBlond boys' and girls' basketball teams will play for a LeBlond tournament title Wednesday after both teams earned big semifinal wins over North Andrew Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.

Senior Kianna Herrera led her team with 27 points, including 16 in the second quarter to help the Golden Eagles (10-1) to a 45-27 victory.

"I didn't even know I had 27," Herrera smiled. "When I'm playing, my overall goal is to make sure that everybody contributes and everyone works together and get that win."

LeBlond trailed North Andrew 5-3 after the first quarter, but used a 14-2 run in the second to eventually go up 23-13 at halftime.

Three-pointers from both Kayla and Katie Beam helped LeBlond pad their lead, and North Andrew (5-2) was held to just four made field goals in the second half.

Tatum Studer added five points for LeBlond. Brylie Brincks led North Andrew with 11 points. The Eagles were without Shae Lewis Tuesday, and Sloan Lewis spent time on the bench with three fouls in the first half.

The Cardinals now face Savannah for third place on Wednesday at 4 p.m. LeBlond, meanwhile, will face Plattsburg for the championship at 7 p.m. Plattsburg beat Savannah in the other semifinal, 35-22.

"They're a tough team and we just have to play like always we do and we should be awesome," Herrera said.

The LeBlond boys (7-3) used a 21-5 run in the second quarter to pull away from North Andrew and win their semifinal, 59-22, Tuesday night. Senior Chris Guldan led the Eagles with 17 points - 11 of that came in the second quarter.

Senior Owen Graham led his team with 16 points. He had 16 of his team's 17 points through three quarters. The Cardinals have been down a handful of players due to injuries and other things.

"They're a better team than that," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "They're going to be better and they're going to continue to get better. I was happy with our kids and our effort and our intensity and our focus on what we wanted to do game plan wise."

Landon Gardner chipped in 11 points for LeBlond, while Marcos Dominguez added nine off the bench.

The Eagles now get set to face Smithville in the tournament championship on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. The Warriors (6-3) beat Plattsburg in semifinals, 72-42, on Tuesday.

"It's going to be a really, really tough challenge for us," Girres said of Smithville. "We're going to have to be prepared and smart with our rest and give it all we got."

North Andrew faces Plattsburg for 3rd place on Wednesday at 5:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640783098466.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond boys' and girls' basketball teams will play for a LeBlond tournament title Wednesday after both teams earned big semifinal wins over North Andrew Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.Senior Kianna Herrera led her team with 27 points, including 16 in the second quarter to help the Golden Eagles (10-1) to a 45-27 victory."I didn't even know I had 27," Herrera smiled. "When I'm playing, my overall goal is to make sure that everybody contributes and everyone works together and get that win."LeBlond trailed North Andrew 5-3 after the first quarter, but used a 14-2 run in the second to eventually go up 23-13 at halftime.Three-pointers from both Kayla and Katie Beam helped LeBlond pad their lead, and North Andrew (5-2) was held to just four made field goals in the second half.Tatum Studer added five points for LeBlond. Brylie Brincks led North Andrew with 11 points. The Eagles were without Shae Lewis Tuesday, and Sloan Lewis spent time on the bench with three fouls in the first half.The Cardinals now face Savannah for third place on Wednesday at 4 p.m. LeBlond, meanwhile, will face Plattsburg for the championship at 7 p.m. Plattsburg beat Savannah in the other semifinal, 35-22."They're a tough team and we just have to play like always we do and we should be awesome," Herrera said.The LeBlond boys (7-3) used a 21-5 run in the second quarter to pull away from North Andrew and win their semifinal, 59-22, Tuesday night. Senior Chris Guldan led the Eagles with 17 points - 11 of that came in the second quarter.Senior Owen Graham led his team with 16 points. He had 16 of his team's 17 points through three quarters. The Cardinals have been down a handful of players due to injuries and other things."They're a better team than that," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "They're going to be better and they're going to continue to get better. I was happy with our kids and our effort and our intensity and our focus on what we wanted to do game plan wise."Landon Gardner chipped in 11 points for LeBlond, while Marcos Dominguez added nine off the bench.The Eagles now get set to face Smithville in the tournament championship on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. The Warriors (6-3) beat Plattsburg in semifinals, 72-42, on Tuesday."It's going to be a really, really tough challenge for us," Girres said of Smithville. "We're going to have to be prepared and smart with our rest and give it all we got."North Andrew faces Plattsburg for 3rd place on Wednesday at 5:30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640783473985.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond boys, girls punch ticket to tournament title with wins over North Andrew

John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.

The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.

“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”

“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”

And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.

Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.

Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.

The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.

In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”

Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.

The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.

Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.

“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”

Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640439615693.jpeg" alt="John Madden in 2007 wikicommons" />
 <figcaption>John Madden in 2007 wikicommons</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football WriterJohn Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden. Statement » <a href="https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6">https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6</a> <a href="https://t.co/HA0GDGPN46">pic.twitter.com/HA0GDGPN46</a>&mdash; Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raiders/status/1475992603254423553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”The Raiders responded.“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.___

John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster has died

Senior Kianna Herrera scored 18 points, and the Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team continued its strong start to the season with a 66-27 win over Nodaway Valley in the LeBlond tournament Monday evening.

LeBlond (9-1) got to a somewhat sluggish start in the first few minutes, leading 5-4, but then suddenly, the Golden Eagles were ahead 17-6 after the first and then 41-12 at the half.

Herrera and fellow senior Emma Raines each made a three-pointer in the first half to kickstart the LeBlond offense, and the onslaught continued in the second half.

The Eagles got points from nine different players. Raines dropped 10 herself, while sophomore Kaleigh Ziesel came off the bench to score eight. Sophomore Kayla Beam scored six, while fellow sophomore Kyla Conard had seven. Junior Shae Lewis contributed six.

"I knew that once we got a couple of shots underneath our belt, everything would kind of fall into place," LeBlond head coach Jackie Ziesel said. "It was kind of a matter of waking up our brains and our legs and our bodies so we could get that push of momentum that we needed."

Freshman Ava Graham led Nodaway Valley with eight points. Senior Piper Hunt had five. LeBlond advances to the semifinals to play North Andrew, who beat East Buchanan Monday, 46-34. Tip-off in Tuesday's semifinal is set for 7 p.m.

Nodaway Valley faces East Buchanan in consolation play on Tuesday at 1.

Guldan hits 1000 career points, LeBlond boys pull away late

Senior Chris Guldan hit a career milestone Monday, scoring 21 points to surpass 1,000 in his career, helping the LeBlond boys to a 59-40 win over Nodaway Valley in tournament action Monday night.

Guldan was honored after the game with a large banner, commemorating his 1,000 point achievement.

"You see people in high school when you're younger getting this and you just dream of it," Guldan said. "And it came true. Just an amazing feeling."

Trailing 15-8 after the first, Nodaway Valley used a 12-0 run in the second quarter to tie the game at 23. A quick two in the lane by junior Jake Korell gave the Eagles a 25-23 lead at the break.

"The second half, me and Jake kind of turned it on a little bit," Guldan said. "Gave us a little boost and helped us win."

Leading 41-36 entering the fourth, LeBlond (6-2) ended the game on a 17-4 run to pull away. Guldan had seven points in the fourth quarter alone. Korell scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half. The next highest scorer was senior Noah Eidmann, who had six.

"(Jake and Chris) kind of carried us offensively," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "We struggled a little defensively at times, which is usually something we can rely on. So, we just have to make sure we bring a little better energy to start the game. Really focus on starting better."

That sets up a LeBlond tournament semifinal matchup between LeBlond and North Andrew (5-3) on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. The Cardinals beat East Buchanan, 49-41, in the first round Monday.

The last time the Cardinals and Eagles met was for a Class 2 District 16 title, where North Andrew prevailed 47-45 on Feb. 25 in Rosendale.

"It's been close every time we've played 'em I think in my four years," Guldan recalled. "Will pry be close again."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669835226.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSenior Kianna Herrera scored 18 points, and the Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team continued its strong start to the season with a 66-27 win over Nodaway Valley in the LeBlond tournament Monday evening.LeBlond (9-1) got to a somewhat sluggish start in the first few minutes, leading 5-4, but then suddenly, the Golden Eagles were ahead 17-6 after the first and then 41-12 at the half.Herrera and fellow senior Emma Raines each made a three-pointer in the first half to kickstart the LeBlond offense, and the onslaught continued in the second half.The Eagles got points from nine different players. Raines dropped 10 herself, while sophomore Kaleigh Ziesel came off the bench to score eight. Sophomore Kayla Beam scored six, while fellow sophomore Kyla Conard had seven. Junior Shae Lewis contributed six."I knew that once we got a couple of shots underneath our belt, everything would kind of fall into place," LeBlond head coach Jackie Ziesel said. "It was kind of a matter of waking up our brains and our legs and our bodies so we could get that push of momentum that we needed."Freshman Ava Graham led Nodaway Valley with eight points. Senior Piper Hunt had five. LeBlond advances to the semifinals to play North Andrew, who beat East Buchanan Monday, 46-34. Tip-off in Tuesday's semifinal is set for 7 p.m.Nodaway Valley faces East Buchanan in consolation play on Tuesday at 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669865518.jpeg" alt="Sloan Lewis." />
 <figcaption>Sloan Lewis.</figcaption>
 </figure>Guldan hits 1000 career points, LeBlond boys pull away lateSenior Chris Guldan hit a career milestone Monday, scoring 21 points to surpass 1,000 in his career, helping the LeBlond boys to a 59-40 win over Nodaway Valley in tournament action Monday night.Guldan was honored after the game with a large banner, commemorating his 1,000 point achievement."You see people in high school when you're younger getting this and you just dream of it," Guldan said. "And it came true. Just an amazing feeling."Trailing 15-8 after the first, Nodaway Valley used a 12-0 run in the second quarter to tie the game at 23. A quick two in the lane by junior Jake Korell gave the Eagles a 25-23 lead at the break."The second half, me and Jake kind of turned it on a little bit," Guldan said. "Gave us a little boost and helped us win."Leading 41-36 entering the fourth, LeBlond (6-2) ended the game on a 17-4 run to pull away. Guldan had seven points in the fourth quarter alone. Korell scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half. The next highest scorer was senior Noah Eidmann, who had six."(Jake and Chris) kind of carried us offensively," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "We struggled a little defensively at times, which is usually something we can rely on. So, we just have to make sure we bring a little better energy to start the game. Really focus on starting better."That sets up a LeBlond tournament semifinal matchup between LeBlond and North Andrew (5-3) on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. The Cardinals beat East Buchanan, 49-41, in the first round Monday.The last time the Cardinals and Eagles met was for a Class 2 District 16 title, where North Andrew prevailed 47-45 on Feb. 25 in Rosendale."It's been close every time we've played 'em I think in my four years," Guldan recalled. "Will pry be close again."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669800333.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669925895.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell (20). Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell (20). Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond girls win big, Guldan scores 1000th career point against Nodaway Valley

Senior Owen Graham dropped a game-high 17 points to help North Andrew (5-3) top East Buchanan, 49-41, in first-round action at the Bishop LeBlond Holiday tournament Monday.

The game was air tight in the first half with neither team able to jump out to a big lead. East Buchanan led 18-17 at halftime behind a three-pointer from both Jack Archdekin and Conner Musser.

The third quarter is when North Andrew gained some control. The Cardinals opened the third on a 12-0 run and led 32-23 entering the fourth. The Bulldogs were held to just five third quarter points.

"For the guys to dig in and battle against a really good East Buchanan team, it was a big sign for us," North Andrew coach Wade Bryson said. "We had some nice offensive performances, but tonight, it was nice to see us play championship level defense."

East Buchanan made a strong charge in the fourth, opening that quarter on a 10-0 run. Archedkin had 10 points over the final eight minutes alone, and led the Bulldogs with 15 points total, but North Andrew closed the game out strong.

The Cardinals went 6-for-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter, and got a key three-pointer from sophomore Trey McDaniel to seal the victory.

"As teams start to key in on Owen and take him away, it's going to have to be the guys around him who step up and make plays and you saw that tonight. That was exciting as a coach to see."

Freshman Braxon Linville was also reliable, scoring 13 points for the Cardinals. McDaniel finished with nine. Musser dropped 11 for East Buchanan, while Carson White had six.

North Andrew advances to the LeBlond tournament semifinals on Tuesday night, where they'll face the hosting Golden Eagles. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.

East Buchanan faces Nodaway Valley in consolation play on Tuesday morning at 11:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640667722496.jpeg" alt="North Andrew's Braxon Linville (5) guards East Buchanan's Carson Thompson (24) on Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>North Andrew's Braxon Linville (5) guards East Buchanan's Carson Thompson (24) on Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSenior Owen Graham dropped a game-high 17 points to help North Andrew (5-3) top East Buchanan, 49-41, in first-round action at the Bishop LeBlond Holiday tournament Monday.The game was air tight in the first half with neither team able to jump out to a big lead. East Buchanan led 18-17 at halftime behind a three-pointer from both Jack Archdekin and Conner Musser.The third quarter is when North Andrew gained some control. The Cardinals opened the third on a 12-0 run and led 32-23 entering the fourth. The Bulldogs were held to just five third quarter points."For the guys to dig in and battle against a really good East Buchanan team, it was a big sign for us," North Andrew coach Wade Bryson said. "We had some nice offensive performances, but tonight, it was nice to see us play championship level defense."East Buchanan made a strong charge in the fourth, opening that quarter on a 10-0 run. Archedkin had 10 points over the final eight minutes alone, and led the Bulldogs with 15 points total, but North Andrew closed the game out strong.The Cardinals went 6-for-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter, and got a key three-pointer from sophomore Trey McDaniel to seal the victory."As teams start to key in on Owen and take him away, it's going to have to be the guys around him who step up and make plays and you saw that tonight. That was exciting as a coach to see."Freshman Braxon Linville was also reliable, scoring 13 points for the Cardinals. McDaniel finished with nine. Musser dropped 11 for East Buchanan, while Carson White had six.North Andrew advances to the LeBlond tournament semifinals on Tuesday night, where they'll face the hosting Golden Eagles. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.East Buchanan faces Nodaway Valley in consolation play on Tuesday morning at 11:30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640667787513.jpeg" alt="Jack Archdekin." />
 <figcaption>Jack Archdekin.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640667808220.jpeg" alt="Couper Simmons." />
 <figcaption>Couper Simmons.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Owen Graham drops 17, North Andrew outlasts East Buchanan in LeBlond tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The chances that the Kansas City Chiefs would spend Sunday night celebrating their record sixth straight AFC West title seemed slim last week when Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce headlined an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team.

Turns out, the NFL's hottest team was just fine.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 36-10 drubbing at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday evening.

“This is the type of week where it's so great to have an experienced coach like Andy Reid, somebody who is so steady — somebody who has seen virtually everything that the NFL can throw at them," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “This was a different challenge, but his preparation is so thorough that they were able to get the guys who were able ready to play.”

The Chiefs (11-4) remained a game ahead of Tennessee for first place overall in the AFC with their eighth straight win. That would give them the conference's lone first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a touchdown run for Kansas City before leaving early in the second half with a collarbone injury. Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore carried the load the rest of the way, Williams running for 55 yards and Gore adding 43 yards on the ground and three catches for 61 yards.

“The guys all played together, which I don't think you can avoid talking about,” Reid said. “The way they supported each other when there was a problem, when something didn't work — everybody just hung together.”

The Chiefs were crushed by a COVID-19 outbreak early in the week — at one point they had 13 players on the active roster and three on the practice squad test positive. They managed to get Hill and several others cleared in time for kickoff, but Kelce was among three starters unable to test out of protocols Sunday morning.

After watching the Chargers improbably lose to the Texans earlier Sunday, the Chiefs — who began the season 3-4 — knew they merely had to beat inconsistent and offensively challenged Pittsburgh to wrap up another division title. They made it look easy on both sides of the ball.

The Chiefs went 73 yards on their opening possession with Edwards-Helaire bouncing off Robert Spillane for a score. Pringle scored his first TD after Roethlisberger was picked off on a flea-flicker. Mecole Hardman hauled in a touchdown throw from Mahomes, and fill-in kicker Elliott Fry hit a 44-yard field goal for a 23-0 halftime lead.

“It was us just filling those voids and those places and those spots on the field,” Hardman said, “and doing the best we can.”

The Steelers at that point? Two punts, a pick, a turnover on downs, a missed field goal at the end of the half.

They started the second half watching Diontae Johnson fumble the ball away, too. The Chiefs tacked on another TD when Mahomes found Pringle in the back of the end zone, putting the game away by midway through the third quarter.

The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon central. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

The Bengals (9-6) are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture and sit in first place in the AFC North.

St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The chances that the Kansas City Chiefs would spend Sunday night celebrating their record sixth straight AFC West title seemed slim last week when Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce headlined an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team.Turns out, the NFL's hottest team was just fine.Patrick Mahomes threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 36-10 drubbing at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday evening.“This is the type of week where it's so great to have an experienced coach like Andy Reid, somebody who is so steady — somebody who has seen virtually everything that the NFL can throw at them," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “This was a different challenge, but his preparation is so thorough that they were able to get the guys who were able ready to play.”More like ready to dominate.The Chiefs (11-4) remained a game ahead of Tennessee for first place overall in the AFC with their eighth straight win. That would give them the conference's lone first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a touchdown run for Kansas City before leaving early in the second half with a collarbone injury. Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore carried the load the rest of the way, Williams running for 55 yards and Gore adding 43 yards on the ground and three catches for 61 yards.“The guys all played together, which I don't think you can avoid talking about,” Reid said. “The way they supported each other when there was a problem, when something didn't work — everybody just hung together.”The Chiefs were crushed by a COVID-19 outbreak early in the week — at one point they had 13 players on the active roster and three on the practice squad test positive. They managed to get Hill and several others cleared in time for kickoff, but Kelce was among three starters unable to test out of protocols Sunday morning.It didn't matter.After watching the Chargers improbably lose to the Texans earlier Sunday, the Chiefs — who began the season 3-4 — knew they merely had to beat inconsistent and offensively challenged Pittsburgh to wrap up another division title. They made it look easy on both sides of the ball.The Chiefs went 73 yards on their opening possession with Edwards-Helaire bouncing off Robert Spillane for a score. Pringle scored his first TD after Roethlisberger was picked off on a flea-flicker. Mecole Hardman hauled in a touchdown throw from Mahomes, and fill-in kicker Elliott Fry hit a 44-yard field goal for a 23-0 halftime lead.“It was us just filling those voids and those places and those spots on the field,” Hardman said, “and doing the best we can.”The Steelers at that point? Two punts, a pick, a turnover on downs, a missed field goal at the end of the half.They started the second half watching Diontae Johnson fumble the ball away, too. The Chiefs tacked on another TD when Mahomes found Pringle in the back of the end zone, putting the game away by midway through the third quarter.The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon central. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.The Bengals (9-6) are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture and sit in first place in the AFC North.

Chiefs dominate Steelers Sunday to clinch sixth straight AFC West title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs added wide receiver Tyreek Hill, cornerback Rashad Fenton and tight end Blake Bell to their growing COVID-19 list Tuesday that already included tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker. 

The Chiefs also have Charvarius Ward on the list, which means two of their top three cornerbacks are in the league’s virus protocol.

The Chiefs also added to the COVID list Wednesday linebacker Nick Bolton, Offensive Tackle Lucas Niang, Offensive Guard Kyle Long, Safety Armani Watts and Practice squad players linebacker Darius Harris and wide receiver Daurice Fountain.

Last week, defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and wide receiver Josh Gordon tested positive.

The Chiefs COVID/Reserve list now stands at 16 players, with 13 on the active roster and three on the practice squad.

The Chiefs play the Steelers on Sunday in an important game for the AFC playoff race.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs added wide receiver Tyreek Hill, cornerback Rashad Fenton and tight end Blake Bell to their growing COVID-19 list Tuesday that already included tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker. The Chiefs also have Charvarius Ward on the list, which means two of their top three cornerbacks are in the league’s virus protocol.The Chiefs also added to the COVID list Wednesday linebacker Nick Bolton, Offensive Tackle Lucas Niang, Offensive Guard Kyle Long, Safety Armani Watts and Practice squad players linebacker Darius Harris and wide receiver Daurice Fountain.Last week, defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and wide receiver Josh Gordon tested positive.The Chiefs COVID/Reserve list now stands at 16 players, with 13 on the active roster and three on the practice squad.The Chiefs play the Steelers on Sunday in an important game for the AFC playoff race.

Chiefs dealing with more COVID issues, place nine more players on COVID list

After weeks of saying that running back Tyler Badie will play in the Armed Forces Bowl, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced in his press conference today that Mizzou's single season record holder for rushing yards will not play tomorrow. 

 Drinkwitz says the decision came after several long talks with his coaching staff.  Badie will now begin preparing for the NFL Draft, and that starts with getting ready for the NFL combine that begins on April 28th. 

 Badie leaves Mizzou holding the single season rushing record, rushing this season for 1,604 yards, and finishes his Mizzou career with 2,740 yards and 23 rushing TDs.  Senior Dawson Downing will start in place of Badie.

Drinkwitz also announced today that Redshirt Freshman Brady Cook will make his first career start for the Tigers, taking the place of Sophomore Connor Bazelak, who has been battling a leg injury this season.  Cook has appeared some for the Tigers this season, going 19 for 24 with 107 yards and a TD, but has spent his time on the field splitting snaps with Tyler Macon.

Mizzou will be without five starters for the Armed Forces bowl, either because they are injured or opted out: running back Tyler Badie, safety Martez Manuel who is the teams leading tackler, tight end Niko Hea, defensive tackle Akiel Byers and cornerback Akayleb Evans

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAfter weeks of saying that running back Tyler Badie will play in the Armed Forces Bowl, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced in his press conference today that Mizzou's single season record holder for rushing yards will not play tomorrow. Drinkwitz says the decision came after several long talks with his coaching staff. Badie will now begin preparing for the NFL Draft, and that starts with getting ready for the NFL combine that begins on April 28th. Badie leaves Mizzou holding the single season rushing record, rushing this season for 1,604 yards, and finishes his Mizzou career with 2,740 yards and 23 rushing TDs. Senior Dawson Downing will start in place of Badie.Drinkwitz also announced today that Redshirt Freshman Brady Cook will make his first career start for the Tigers, taking the place of Sophomore Connor Bazelak, who has been battling a leg injury this season. Cook has appeared some for the Tigers this season, going 19 for 24 with 107 yards and a TD, but has spent his time on the field splitting snaps with Tyler Macon.Mizzou will be without five starters for the Armed Forces bowl, either because they are injured or opted out: running back Tyler Badie, safety Martez Manuel who is the teams leading tackler, tight end Niko Hea, defensive tackle Akiel Byers and cornerback Akayleb Evans<div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwHVzRrEbi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwHVzRrEbi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwHVzRrEbi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Tyler Badie (@only1badie)</a></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>

Mizzou's Tyler Badie sitting out Armed Forces Bowl, Brady Cook to make first start

NEW YORK (AP) —The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.

Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also shelved were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.

The postponements came on the same day that Atlanta announced star guard Trae Young entered the league's health and safety protocols and the Los Angeles Lakers said coach Frank Vogel also was added to the list.

Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they are in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.

U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days. The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It was not clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.

Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has five teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games at all levels have been canceled in recent days.

“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’s rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639341015562.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also shelved were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.The postponements came on the same day that Atlanta announced star guard Trae Young entered the league's health and safety protocols and the Los Angeles Lakers said coach Frank Vogel also was added to the list.Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they are in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days. The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It was not clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has five teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games at all levels have been canceled in recent days.“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’s rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been discussing a plan in which teams in desperate need of players would be able to sign reinforcements to 10-day contracts but without those deals impacting salary cap and luxury tax figures. That deal has not yet been finalized, though talks are continuing.The Cavaliers had five players enter the protocols on Sunday, the team said. All five — center Jarrett Allen, forwards Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler and guards Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard — tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release that specific detail.They joined Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, who entered the protocols previously.Vogel won't be on the bench when his Lakers play Sunday at Chicago. David Fizdale will coach in Vogel's place, the Lakers said. The Bulls are returning to the court after having two games postponed last week.Chicago still doesn't have all of its players back yet, either. Among those listed as out Sunday and still in protocols is Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine.Through Saturday’s games, those were the only games the NBA had pushed back during this outbreak. But on Sunday, the league added significantly to the list of postponements, with teams simply not having enough players to compete.Brooklyn alone has 10 players, plus some staff, in the protocols.“It’s just crazy,” Nets forward Blake Griffin said.Brooklyn's list of players in protocols includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and — even though he’s still not yet able to play — Kyrie Irving, who has sat out all season for not complying with New York City's vaccine mandate. The team reversed course Friday and said Irving would be welcomed back “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate,” knowing he’d still miss two games at the Knicks and trips to Toronto and Golden State.The Nets had eight available players for Saturday night's game against Orlando. The Magic had nine, including four players — Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, B.J. Johnson and Admiral Schofield — who were signed late last week to hardship contracts because of virus issues and injuries decimating Orlando's roster.Here's how necessary they were: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley had all four on the court together in two separate stretches of Orlando's win.———

Sports